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3 March 2009

Yesterday, 2 March 2009 at 17h00, was the cut-off date for parties intending to contest the 2009 national and provincial elections to submit their lists of candidates. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) wants to make use of this opportunity today to release the provisional list of political parties that will be taking part in the elections to be held on 22 April 2009.

Altogether 42 political parties submitted candidates’ lists of the 117 parties that are registered nationally. The status is as follows:

a. Eleven parties will contest the elections for the National Assembly and all nine provincial legislatures;
b. Three parties will contest the elections for the National Assembly only;
c. Fourteen parties will contest the elections for the National Assembly and one or more of the provincial legislatures;
d. Fourteen parties will contest the elections in one or more of the provincial legislatures only.

Twenty eight parties have submitted candidates’ lists to contest elections for the National Assembly and the breakdown per province is as follows:

· Eastern Cape – 17
· Free State – 14
· Gauteng – 20
· KwaZulu-Natal – 18
· Limpopo – 18
· Mpumalanga – 15
· North West – 16
· Northern Cape – 13
· Western Cape – 22

The Chief Electoral Officer of the IEC, Advocate Pansy Tlakula, said she is satisfied with the organised manner in which most parties have submitted their lists. Some parties submitted their lists as early as Wednesday last week with the Minority Front being the first party to submit their list.

However, a few parties came late to the IEC's offices in Pretoria despite widespread announcements made with regard to the cut-off date and time which could not be assisted and their details were not taken.

“The submission of candidates’ lists is an important milestone on the election timetable and truly signals the start of the election period. The number of political parties participating demonstrates that these elections have generated a lot of interest in South Africa,” said Adv Tlakula.

Adv Tlakula also expressed her gratitude to parties for co-operating with the IEC in the manner that they did and urged them to take their responsibilities in respect of the Electoral Code of Conduct seriously.

The Electoral Commission will now scrutinise the lists and ensure that parties comply with all the requirements of section 27 of the Electoral Act.

Candidate lists must be accompanied by the following documents, failing which will result in a notice of non-compliance:

a. A written undertaking and declaration by the party
b. A written resolution indentifying and authorising a party official to submit the list of candidates
c. The election deposit for each election the party is contesting. Parties contesting for the National Assembly will have to pay a deposit of R180 000 while parties contesting provincial legislatures will pay R40 000 per province. The deposits can only be paid by means of a bank guaranteed cheque. The respective deposit is refundable if a party wins at least one seat in the legislature they are contesting
d. A signed undertaking and acceptance of nomination by each candidate appearing on the lists
e. A copy of every candidate’s ID containing the candidate’s photo, name and Identity number
f. An A5 colour photo of the leader of the party (the photo will appear on the ballot paper)

By 6 March 2009, parties will be informed in which aspects their lists did not comply with the Electoral Act, if any. A party will have until 10 March 2009 to correct the non-compliance. The candidates’ lists will be made available for public inspection at national, provincial and municipal offices of the IEC on 16 and 17 March 2009.

The IEC will invite parties that qualify to contest the elections to make public pledges to abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct on Wednesday, 11 March 2009. On that occasion the IEC will also hold a draw to determine the order in which the names of the parties will appear on the ballot paper.

The election timetable is available on the IEC website at www.elections.org.za

Status on Submission of candidates lists:

Provisional list

Parties that have submitted lists for the national and all nine provincial elections:

1. Independent Democrats
2. African National Congress
3. Inkatha Freedom Party
4. African Christian Democratic Party
5. United Christian Democratic Party
6. Democratic Alliance
7. Freedom Front Plus
8. African Peoples Convention
9. United Democratic Movement
10. Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
11. Congress of the People

Parties that only submitted lists for national elections:

1. Keep It Straight and Simple
2. A Party
3. Hlanganani Sakhe Isizwe

Parties that submitted lists for national and selected provincial elections:

1. Minority Front
· National
· KwaZulu-Natal

2. New Vision Party
· National
· Eastern Cape
· Gauteng
· Limpopo

3. Alliance of Free Democrats
· National
· Gauteng
· Limpopo

4. Great Kongress of SA
· National
· KwaZulu-Natal
· Gauteng

5. Al Jama AH
· National
· KwaZulu-Natal
· Western Cape

6. Movement Democratic Party
· National
· Gauteng
· North West

7. Christian Democratic Alliance
· National
· Eastern Cape
· Gauteng
· Northern Cape
· Western Cape

8. Women Forward
· National
· KwaZulu-Natal
· Gauteng
· Limpopo

9. United Independent Front
· National
· Limpopo
· Western Cape

10. Azanian People’s Organisation
· National
· Eastern Cape
· Gauteng
· Limpopo
· Mpumalanga
· Northern Cape
· North West
· Western Cape

11. South African Democratic Congress
· National
· KwaZulu-Natal

12. Pan Africanist Movement
· National
· Eastern Cape

13. National Alliance
· National
· Western Cape

14. National Democratic Convention
· National
· Eastern Cape
· Free State
· Gauteng
· KwaZulu-Natal
· Mpumalanga
· North West
· Western Cape

Parties that only submitted lists for selected provincial elections:

1. Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa
· Free State

2. African Muslim Party
· Western Cape

3. African Independent Congress
· Eastern Cape

4. South African Political Party
· North West

5. Christian Party
· Mpumalanga

6. Sindawonye Progressive Party
· Mpumalanga

7. South African Determined Volunteers
· KwaZulu-Natal

8. Universal Party
· Western Cape

9. National Party of South Africa
· Western Cape

10. Cape Party
· Western Cape

11. Peace and Justice Congress
· Free State
· Western Cape

12. African Christian Alliance
· Gauteng
· North West

13. Ximoko
· Limpopo

14. Black Consciousness Party
· Limpopo

For media enquiries, please contact:
Kate Bapela
Cell: 082 600 6386

Issued by: Independent Electoral Commission
3 March 2009